Container Garden

Large or medium size containers can be placed in a sunny location on
your porch, patio, deck, or in a flower bed.

Fill large containers with
high-quality organic potting soil.

Hanging containers can also be used.

Cages or a trellis can be used to support and train larger vegetables
such as cucumbers and tomatoes in containers.

Water frequently, as soil
in containers will dry out quickly in warm or hot weather.

Organic Vegetable Seeds and Plants

Organic Green Bean Sprouting in the Garden

Select organic vegetable seeds or plants for your garden.

When deciding what to plant, choose vegetables that are you and your family's eating favorites.

Follow the planting and spacing instructions on the plants or seed packets.

Keep
a garden diary or journal to save and collect information from year to
year. It's not always easy to remember exactly what worked well and what
you would change when it is time to plant your next garden!

Organic Compost Helps Condition and Fertilize Your Garden

Add a Layer of Organic Compost Each Year

Adding compost to enrich and condition the soil in your garden is one
of the most important improvements you can make.

When you add compost,
it speeds up the natural process, recycles nutrients from the organic
matter back to the earth, and supplies the plants with fertilizer they
need.

Why not create your own organic fertilizer by
composting ingredients such as fruit and vegetable scraps from your
kitchen, along with leaves and grass clippings from your yard?

What a great way to recycle items that would otherwise end up in the trash bin!

Good air circulation in the compost bin is necessary to keep the beneficial bacteria thriving.

If the compost pile is large, it helps to stick a few chimneys of PVC pipe to keep the air flowing.

Well-aged manure and garden waste can be used anywhere in the garden.

It should be dug in long before planting takes place to allow time for
it to break down into the soil; in the fall is the ideal time.

Add a Layer of Mulch to Help Retain Water & Prevent Weeds

Happy Gardener

Mulching is one of the most natural and easiest gardening techniques
used to protect an organic vegetable garden from weeds, drying out,
pests, extreme weather, and erosion.

High- quality mulch adds invaluable nourishment to the soil as it safeguards.

Mulches
help keep the soil alive by attracting earthworms and microbes, which
help loosen soil structure and supply essential nutrients.

Before
mulching, weed and water your organic vegetable garden. Fertilizer
should also be applied before mulching, as organic materials will
decompose quicker under a layer of mulch.

Mulch
should not be layered on so heavily that it blocks moisture, air
circulation, or sunshine from penetrating the soil.

Apply smaller grade
organic mulches such as wood chips or sawdust up to 3 inches in
thickness. Spread lighter mulches like leaf mold, straw, pr hay, as much
as 6 inches in depth.

A rain barrel is a practical addition to an organic vegetable garden, to collect water for your plants.

Other types of Organic Fertilizer to Use in Your Vegetable Garden

Aged Horse Manure Fertilizer

Every garden benefits from the use of organic fertilizers, compost,
and mulch.

All together, they insure the
development of rich, loamy earth, which in turn ensures strong healthy
plant growth.

An excellent and inexpensive way to supply nitrogen and trace minerals is to plant green cover crops!

Clover, peas, beans, and alfalfa are legumes, which take nitrogen from the air and make it available to the soil.

Plowing under some of these crops before planting your garden further enriches the soil.

To
increase the soil’s nitrogen content, a variety of organic fertilizers
are suggested. Blood meal, cottonseed meal, fish emulsion, and bone meal
are high in nitrogen.

It is important not to overfeed a crop
because too much nitrogen leads to leggy plants, poor production, and
increased susceptibility to pests and diseases.

An
organically grown vegetable garden is finding the correct balance of
natural products to provide you with nutritious and healthy vegetables.
Organic gardening is the use of naturally occurring, non-toxic
substances for soil nutrition and pest control.

There
you have the basics for preparing and starting an organic vegetable
garden at home. Each season, you will learn more, and have new ideas for
planning and planting your vegetable garden layout.

Organic gardening
is a great way to save money, and provide delicious food that your whole
family will enjoy. Planting a garden is a fun and healthy activity for
children and grownups alike.